Let Nothing You Dismay
by Rainstorm55
Summary: Elena tries to fight her growing feelings for Damon as she celebrates Christmas with the Salvatore brothers.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Let Nothing You Dismay

Rating: M

Summary: Elena tries to fight her growing feelings for Damon as she celebrates Christmas with the Salvatore brothers.

Disclaimer: Characters are the property of L.J. Smith, Kevin Williamson, Julie Plec and the C.W. L.J. Smith owns the description of Damon's scent. Heh. No copyright infringement intended.

Feedback: The more the better - I've been (pretty) good this year!

It's time we hung some tinsel on that evergreen bough.

For I've grown a little leaner,

Grown a little colder,

Grown a little sadder,

Grown a little older,

And I need a little angel

Sitting on my shoulder,

We need a little Christmas now... "We Need a Little Christmas" – Andy Williams

December 24th, 2010

5:08 p.m.

Elena Gilbert hated most Christmas carols.

"Away in a Manger" made her gag. If she never again heard, "Do You Hear What I Hear?", she would weep with gratitude. "Joy to the World" made her wince with its contrived, forced pep, and if the Little Drummer Boy were in front of her, she'd beat him over the head with his sticks until he bled from the ears. Rum-pa-pum-pum.

She enjoyed a select few seasonal songs. She loved "O Holy Night" for its lack of sentimentality, and Bon Jovi's "Please Come Home for Christmas" made the shortlist just for reminding her of Stefan.

However, her all-time favorite Yuletune was "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer." And after twelve years of doing it, Jeremy could still make her laugh by singing in a deep, mock-serious voice, "We Three Kings of Orient are…trying to smoke a rubber cigar…"

But most carols? She despised them.

Which was why she was surprised to find herself humming "Jingle Bells" to herself as she unloaded massive bags of groceries and presents from her car in the driveway of the boarding house.

She couldn't help it. Stefan was free, her infuriating grounding spell was lifted, and Katherine was tucked away in the tomb.

And whenever Elena started to feel the slightest bit guilty about that – which was more often than she would ever admit to anyone – all she had to do was conjure up an image of Caroline, weak in a hospital bed, gasping her last mortal breath with a pillow stuffed over her face.

That took care of her guilt nicely.

She owed Elijah bigtime.

Elena wasn't dumb – she knew that war with the werewolves was probably imminent, and Damon had warned her that Rose was in a lot of pain and might not be in any mood to participate in their Christmas Eve party tonight.

Plus, history had taught her that when things were going smoothly, that was when you needed to cover your ass – literally – before life bit you in it.

But she was determined to savor this Christmas.

Jenna and Jeremy, Bonnie and Alaric, Caroline, Stefan and Damon – all her loved ones – were safe. Not all were human, but they were safe. For now.

And Elena was determined to do whatever she could to keep them that way.

Last year, her parents were barely six months gone, and any sparks of pleasure she felt were soured with sickening guilt for enjoying herself and unwrapping gifts.

This year, she had so much more to be grateful for that her private New Year's Resolution – other than protecting her friends and family - was to enjoy every scrap of happiness she could salvage from life.

"Cheerful, aren't we?" Damon asked.

She didn't even bother chastising him for his 937th round of "materialise to scare Elena". She just placed the two heavy bags of gifts she held down on the driveway and threw her arms around his neck.

"Merry Christmas Eve, Damon."

Damon was clearly surprised, but as usual, recovered nicely. He chuckled, lifted Elena off her feet in a hug and kissed the top of her bare head.

"Does this mean I'm forgiven for mocking your house arrest?"

"You get a reprieve for tonight," Elena said. "Goodwill towards vampires, and all that."

"Just for tonight?" Damon smiled as he put her down, but kept his arms around her waist.

"Well, you might get an extension if you help me bring in these goodies."

"Say no more," Damon told her. He took up the four hugest bags and disappeared into the house with vamp warp-speed.

Elena smiled and followed him in to the light and warmth.

She had been planning to run to wherever Stefan was, but stood stock-still instead and marvelled at his handiwork.

The steep, gloomy staircase was transformed with wreaths and white lights winding up its whole length. Candelabra glowed on the tables, and a huge fire chased every vestige of chill from the cavernous living room.

But best of all was the tree, which was not a Charlie Brown special. Elena thought it was cruel to chop down a living tree just for two week's decoration, so she and Stefan had purchased the most attractive six-foot fake pine they could find. Stefan had mounted it in the corner with Damon's help, and he and Elena had had bought glass ornaments of all sizes and shapes. Some were the size of a thumbnail, while some were the size of her fist. Some were creamy and etched with snowflake designs, some were smooth and clear, and others had a mirrored surface. Others were round, some were tear-drop shaped, and they were all enhanced by the tiny white bulbs that Damon had carefully strung around the tree at Elena's request.

The lights were turned on now that it was dark, and best of all, there were gaily-wrapped presents under the tree. Elena sighed happily and was about to reach down and peek when she felt a pair of warm arms encircle her waist from behind.

"Peeking's allowed – shaking the presents isn't. You never know what might be fragile."

"Oh, Stefan…" Elena turned around to give him a lingering kiss. "I'm so happy you're here…"

"Of course I'm here," he said, stroking her cheek and cocking his head inquisitively.

"But it still feels like a dream…like I'll wake up any moment and find you back in the tomb."

"That won't happen," Stefan told her. To seal his words, he leaned down to kiss her again, and Elena drank in the warmth and comfort like hot chocolate.

"Ahem."

"Happy holidays, Elena."

"Rose, I'm sorry," Elena said, breaking the kiss and moving to stand next to Stefan.

The attractive vampire stood next to Damon, her arms folded, dressed in a pair of red silk lounging pyjamas and a matching satin robe. She looked pale – even for a vampire – and her face was pinched and drawn. As she moved forward to take Rose's hand, Elena winced – she could tell even through the baggy material of Rose's pyjama trousers that she was shuffling and obviously in a lot of pain.

"How is your love bite, dear?" Damon asked her.

"Only hurts when I breathe, darling," Rose said grimly, but Elena could tell she wasn't joking.

"Then I hope you'll accept my first gift this evening. Well, it's from Bonnie," she explained. She pulled Rose's present from the top of her largest sack of wrapped gifts, which Damon had helpfully placed next to the tree, and handed it to her.

"Please thank your friend for me," Rose said politely as she opened the silver bag and pulled out a large glass jar.

Rose's eyebrows lifted, but her smile was pleasant.

"It's a salve – to disinfect your skin and take some of the pain away. Bonnie mixed the herbs in herself, and put a spell over it too, to try and neutralize the werewolf venom," Elena said. "I hope it works."

"Really?" Rose sounded sceptical. Elena couldn't blame her, but when she remembered how Bonnie had managed to numb the agony of Katherine's proxy wounds to her back, arm and hand, she knew her friend's potion would help.

Rose unscrewed the lid of the jar and sniffed the cream-colored balm inside.

"Mmm…" she said as the pleasant, pungent, spicy smell filled the air. "I can tell already this is gonna burn. Damon, will you help me get the reachy bits?" she asked.

"But of course," Damon said, and offered her his elbow. As she took his arm and they headed for the stairs, he turned back to Elena and mouthed the words, "Thank you."

Elena chuckled softly as she was reminded of Damon and Stefan saving her from Slater. She even repeated Damon's action of that night by nodding and mouthing back, "You're welcome."

"Elena and I will get dinner ready - we'll eat at 7:30. Rose, I hope you'll feel sufficiently better to join us," Stefan said courteously as he placed an arm around Elena's shoulders and drew her into the kitchen.

Elena was quiet as they finished unpacking the groceries for dinner.

"So is the plan unchanged?" Stefan asked her as he unpacked the large, foil-covered casserole dish that covered the turkey tetrazzini Elena had prepared for their main course.

"Yep. Tonight it's you, me, Damon and hopefully Rose. I'll be home to munch some cookies with Jenna and Jeremy before bedtime. Then I'll be back at 8:00 tomorrow morning to open presents before I go home, have stockings and gifts with Jenna and Jeremy before you all join us for Christmas dinner."

"Are you sure you don't want to spend the night tonight?" Stefan asked, putting down a bag of wholemeal bakery rolls to embrace her. "We could stretch out in front of the tree…"

"Mmm…" Elena buried her head in his shoulder, finding peace in his familiar woodsy scent. "We'd better not…like you said, some of the presents may be breakable."

Stefan chuckled.

"Besides, it will mean a lot to Jenna to have me sleep at home tonight," Elena added. _And I don't care to hear Damon tiptoe into Rose's room_, she couldn't help thinking.

"Then are you sure it's okay for you to be over here so early tomorrow? I don't Jenna to feel left out. I said she and Jeremy should come too."

"Oh, I know, but they both like to sleep in on Christmas morning, whereas I like to get up early. I used to drive everyone crazy bouncing around waiting for them to get up."

Elena suddenly grew uncomfortable as her gaze travelled unwittingly over the celling to where Rose's guest bedroom lay.

"Do…do you think they'll be...joining us?"

Some of the jocularity went out of Stefan's expression. "Well, I know Damon will. Don't worry, Elena – I'm sure he's just attending to her shoulder. I can't speak for the content of their private relationship, but I know right now Rose is in a lot of pain, and in no frame of mind for – shenanigans."

Elena flushed and looked down at the cooking island.

"Stefan, I…"

"Elena…" he cupped her chin in his fingers. 'It's all right," he assured her, and kissed the tip of her nose. "Let's make dinner."

Elena wanted to curse at the sudden frustration she felt – and the anger that her previous good mood had been dented. Why did Rose have to be hurt, adding to her guilt? Why did Rose and Damon have to be doing…she didn't want to think about it.

And why did Stefan have to know her so well?

Elena sighed quietly as she picked up a bag of carrots. She went in search of her previous giddiness and a vegetable peeler, determined to find both.


	2. Chapter 2

**December 24, 2010 **

**7:28 p.m.**

Two hours later, Elena was feeling seasonally hopeful again. The dining room table was groaning with delicious food, and just as she set out a tray of crudité, she heard Damon's familiar footfall on the stairs.

She was glad to see Rose follow Damon in, standing much straighter and prouder than before. Best of all, she'd changed out of her pyjamas and looked gorgeous in dark jeans and a green silk blouse.

"Rose, how do you feel?"

"Reborn," she answered, stretching her arms luxuriously over her head. "That salve is a wonder. Your friend is no witch, Elena - she's an angel. You must thank her for me."

"You can thank her yourself if you'll please come to Christmas dinner tomorrow," Elena offered.

"That's very kind, Elena, but I'm rather enjoying playing invalid. I think I'll stay home tomorrow and milk it for all it's worth before Bonnie's miracle ointment finishes me up."

"Well, the invitation stands," Elena reminded her.

"Dinner's ready!" Stefan called as he came out of the kitchen, wiping his hands on a dish towel.

"Smells scrumptious. I'll do the dishes, since you guys did the cooking," Damon said.

"Yes, you will," Stefan and Elena said in unison, making Rose laugh.

"I'm famished!" Elena exclaimed.

"Me too," Damon chimed in.

"Then let's enjoy," Stefan said, and offered his arm to Rose.

Elena smiled wryly and took the arm Damon offered to lead her to her place at the dining room table.

She'd made little Christmas tree place cards, which she originally thought were silly, but looked quite festive by candlelight. She and Damon sat next to each other across from Stefan and Rose – to facilitate handholding, Stefan said, making Damon roll his eyes.

The quartet happily chatted about places they had seen – and in Elena's case, wanted to see – as they spoiled their appetites with hors d'oeuvres of crackers, crudité and shrimp dip Elena had made.

Damon, in particular, was a gifted storyteller. As he poured drinks and told of his exploits in Brussels and Bruges, in Paris and Prague, he made Elena wish she had been there.

_Yeah, **with him**_, a naughty elf on her shoulder whispered. Elena told the elf to stuff its pointed hat where the sun didn't shine, and tried to focus on Damon's tale of a memorable sunset on top of the Arc de Triomphe with a vampire named Minette in 1902.

After Elena's blush had faded, it was time to get down to business.

Stefan had placed heating trays under all the hot dishes to keep them warm, and Elena helped everyone to heaping plates of turkey tetrazzini, cold sliced roast beef, carrots with lemon, rolls, Waldorf salad and green bean casserole.

With Jenna's help, she had made her mother's ice cream bombe chocolate cake for dessert, and hoped it would go over well.

Damon poured Rose, himself and Stefan a second brimming glass of cabernet.

"_Du vin rouge_, Elena?" Damon offered, winking at her and offering the bottle.

"No thank you, I have to drive home. More diet cola for me, please."

"Enough joking - raise your glasses," Stefan said. They all complied. "Here's to those who wish us well – "

"And those who don't will soon be in hell. Merry Christmas," Damon said grimly.

"Merry Christmas," Rose and Elena echoed, clinking glasses before they fell to their feast.

... ... ... ... ...

**9:47 p.m.**

"I can't walk," Elena groaned, and leaned over on the couch to put her head on Stefan's knee. She was in a tryptophan-induced semi-coma – one of the joys of the holidays. It was the second of helping of ice cream pound cake that had been her downfall.

"You don't have to – Rose has retired upstairs, and Damon's doing the dishes."

"Mmmm…" Elena moaned. "Won't be able to eat anything tomorrow. Gonna fall asleep."

"If you do, I'll drive you home,' Stefan said, stroking her hair. "Dinner was delicious, and worth it. And I'm sure you'll be hungry in the morning. But try and stay awake – we have a surprise for you."

"Does it involve moving?"

"Just a little," Stefan said.

"Sorry…not interested."

"Damon will be disappointed – it was his idea."

"Damon?" She sat up on the couch.

"You called?" Damon asked as he came in. "Kitchen's sparkling. You're welcome."

"It's time for Elena's surprise," Stefan said.

"By all means." Damon's lips curled as he strolled over to the sideboard and slid open a bottom drawer.

Elena's pulse quickened as Damon came and placed a huge red stocking in her lap with her name on it in silvery glitter script. It was filled to the brim, and Damon even placed a gift bag at her feet labelled "Stocking Overspill."

"For me?" Elena gasped.

"You're the only Elena we know," Damon said, sitting across from her and Stefan.

"But I already have a stocking at home…"

"Well, now you have one here too. Why should Jenna and Santa have all the fun?" Damon asked.

Stefan explained. "Damon told me you were reminiscing with him how much you love stockings, and how happy it made you to open them every year, so he wanted you to have one here as well."

"Damon, thank you," Elena said.

"Don't thank me, just dig in," he said.

"Wow! A girl can never have too many lip glosses," Elena said she pulled out a box set of Lancôme Juicy Tubes.

"Indeed," Damon grinned. "Don't be delicate – have at it."

Elena plunged her hand gleefully into the stocking, and came up with handful after handful of Lindt and Godiva truffles. "Damon!" she laughed after the sixth handful. "I'll get fat!"

"I'm sure," he rolled his eyes.

Elena threw a milk chocolate at him before she unwrapped a gold Cross pen. She looked closer and was amazed to find it inscribed with her initials.

"That's from Stefan," Damon clarified. Elena smiled at him and stroked his cheek before continuing to attack her stocking.

The next item was a wrapped square box which turned out to be a huge bottle of Givenchy Amarige perfume. Elena always admired the scent when she passed through the department store.

To her astonishment, she wasn't even halfway through the stocking. She shook her head in happy wonder and took out a Mason Pearson hairbrush and a complete assortment of Frederic Fekkai shampoos and hair serums. Several pairs of La Perla nude stockings were placed in little sheer bags to keep them safe.

In the overspill bag, Elena found a wrapped Gucci wallet from Damon and a matching keychain from Stefan. There was also a complete Sephora cosmetics set as well as skin care creams, scrubs and body washes from Origins and l'Occitane.

"You guys, this is ridiculous, but unbelievably generous," Elena said as she folded her stocking across her lap. Thank…"

Her words trailed off as she felt something in the toe of the stocking. She was struck dumb as she pulled out a tiny jewellery box.

Maybe it was a gag gift, or a small toy was inside…

She pulled open the little velvet box – and gasped. "Damon, are these from you?"

"Yep."

"How beautiful," she breathed, holding the hoop earrings up to the light. "You know I love silver."

"They're white gold," Damon clarified. "I thought they'd look nice with the necklace Stefan gave you," he said, nodding to her vervain pendant.

Elena removed the tiny onyx studs she was wearing to match her simple maroon V-neck sweater and straight black skirt. She took the new earrings out of their velvet bed and asked Stefan, "Will you put them on me?"

Stefan kissed each of her bare earlobes before he complied.

"What do you think?" she asked Damon.

"Come closer," he challenged in a bad-wolf tone.

Elena rolled her eyes but went to kneel across from him. He leaned forward and placed one finger gently under her chin to lift it.

"I have good taste," he finally nodded, and Stefan scoffed and placed his feet on the ottoman in front of him.

"Damon," she said. "This is incredible, but I don't think you understand. Stocking means oranges. It means playing cards. It means pencils and mini-Snickers bars. It doesn't mean French perfume and gold earrings!"

"It does if I say it does," Damon smirked, and folded his arms across his chest.

"Just let yourself be pampered for Christmas, Elena," Stefan said quietly. "You deserve it."

Elena finally couldn't take it anymore. The tears that had been hiding sporadically all night finally leaped out and screamed at her. Her heart and eyes welled over, and she lost her speech.

"Hey," Damon said worriedly, and looked to Stefan for help. "Not the reaction I was hoping for."

"Nor me," Stefan frowned.

"I'm sorry," Elena smiled, and wiped her eyes. To no avail, as it turned out – she just kept leaking.

"I think Elena's overtired," Stefan said as he helped her up.

"No, just overwhelmed," she corrected, placing a hand on Damon's shoulder and an arm around Stefan. "It's all too much, and no, I don't deserve it."

"Well, you're dismissed until you adjust that attitude. Go home and to bed, and come with a clear head in the morning," Damon told her. The warmth of his eyes belied his harsh words.

"Good night, Damon. I'll see you in a few hours, and thank you so much for my spectacular gifts."

"Sweet dreams," he said, still clearly upset by her tears, though she was no longer crying. "I want you to follow her home, Stefan."

"I will indeed," Stefan agreed.

"That's not necessary…" Elena trailed off as two azure and two forest eyes stared her down. "I mean…charmed, I'm sure."

That finally got the laughter she wanted from Damon, and she could tell he felt better towards her as she pinched his cheek and then walked with Stefan to her car.

It had been an amazing night – but so topsy-turvy that although Elena was sorry as always to see Stefan's car drive away after she kissed him goodnight, she was glad to be home.

... ... ... ... ... ... ...

**11:03 p.m.**

"Hey!" Jenna said, beaming, as Elena quietly let herself in. "You're late!"

"I know. I'm sorry," she began.

"It's fine! As long as you're home before midnight. Jeremy's in his room on the net, but he'll be down soon," Jenna said.

She drew Elena to her for a lingering sideways hug as they walked into the living room.

"How was dinner? What'd you do? What'd you eat? What'd you _get_?" she said, her eyes lighting up at the huge gift bag Elena was carrying.

Elena laughed and thanked Jenna for all her help in planning and preparing the menu. She showed her aunt everything from her stocking, spreading the items out one by one on the coffee table as Jenna oohed, aahed and chomped on the chocolate. Elena happily gave her half of the Juicy Tube lip glosses, five pairs of stockings, a jar of Origins A Perfect World moisturizer and several bottles of shampoo and hair serum.

"Why, thank you! Won't I look pretty. Baby, you made _out_," Jenna said, her mouth full of a Godiva caramel truffle.

"Like a bandit," Elena agreed. "And it's only Christmas Eve!"

"You gotta lend me those gorgeous earrings," Jenna insisted, gently touching Elena's lobes.

Elena agreed readily. She kicked off her shoes and folded her feet under her legs as she leaned against Jenna's shoulder, just as they both used to do with Miranda when they were little.

"Jenna?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you okay?"

"Never better," Jenna stretched and smiled.

"No, I mean…with us. Are you okay?"

"What do you mean, sweetie?"

"I mean…" Elena nestled closer against her aunt. "Did anyone ever even ask you if you'd take care of us if we lost Mom and Dad?"

"Honey, of course they did," Jenna said. "I was only twenty-two when they wrote their will, but they sat me down, we read through the papers and I said yes."

"Did you hesitate?"

"Nope," Jenna said. "Thank God, the mortgage is paid off, and the life insurance will take care of you guys' college. By the way, I know I've said this before, but if you use one penny of it for anything other than your education, your parents will rise from their graves and kill you."

"I know," Elena said, smiling wryly. "But were you sure you could manage...us?" she asked.

"Of course not! I'm still not. You know that," Jenna said, winding a lock of Elena's hair around her finger absently. "God knows I'm trying, Elena, but I'm sure huge mistakes are still ahead of me, and I need you to be patient with me."

"Yes, but…" Elena shifted to look at her aunt. "Are you ever sorry you came to live with us? We've taken over your life, like pod people."

"Sweetie…" Jenna pulled her closer. "There's still no question in my mind. I prayed so hard it would never have to be me, but since it is…" she hugged Elena fiercely. "If I didn't have you guys with me, I don't think I could get over losing both Miranda and your dad."

Elena closed her eyes as she returned her aunt's embrace.

At 11:40 p.m., Jeremy came downstairs. No one said a word as he spread out on the couch. Jenna rubbed his back as he laid his head on the pillow in Elena's lap, like he had a couple of weeks ago when Damon came to gloat over her house arrest.

No one was laughing this time.

The Somers and Gilberts didn't go to midnight mass, but waited for Christmas Eve midnight as religiously as most families waited for 12:00 a.m. on New Year's Eve.

As Elena wished for fresh snow and her mother, Grayson Gilbert's grandfather clock gently chimed in the hall.

"Merry Christmas, Mom and Dad."

"Merry Christmas," Jeremy echoed as Elena stroked his hair.

"I miss you, Mandy. I miss you, Grayson," Jenna said softly.

The wind whistled down the dark street outside. No sleigh bells jingled as they lay on the couch and the red lights on the tree illuminated the five stockings hanging on the mantelpiece.

... ... ... ... ...

**Note**: I borrowed Jenna's nickname for her sister from _Grey's Anatomy_ - Miranda Bailey used to call herself Mandy when she was still a minnow, not a shark. :)

Thank you so much to everyone who is reading, enjoying and reviewing! What a blast I'm having writing this. Merry Christmas Eve!


	3. Chapter 3

December 25th, 2010

7:58 a.m.

Elena carefully tiptoed across the slippery driveway of the boarding house. She knew her car's engine would already have woken, if not roused, all three of the house's occupants. But after the snow three days ago, the temperature had dropped and the innocent white fluff had morphed into virulent patches of white and black ice. The last thing she needed on Christmas morning was a broken ankle.

Jenna and Jeremy were still nestled in their beds, but Elena had bounced up at 5:50 a.m., like she had every year of her life – except for last year. She had lasted about an hour before she showered, jumped into jeans, a new black sweater and the earrings from Damon's stocking and headed over to the boarding house. She knew she was early, but she could hardly wait for Damon and Stefan to open their presents.

The key Stefan had made for her worked perfectly, and she tiptoed inside and placed a couple of surprise presents under the tree. She grinned widely to see that there were even more gifts than there were last night. Stefan, Damon, or both of them must have placed them there after she'd gone home.

She crept into the kitchen – she knew all three vampires were probably awake, but there was no need to clatter.

Stefan had been right – unbelievably, she was hungry again. Elena faithfully followed the Somers/Gilbert credo of junk food for Christmas breakfast. Damon had the coffee maker on a timer, and the delicious aroma of espresso already filled the kitchen.

Elena quickly filled a large platter with a selection of icebox and spice cookies that she and Jenna had made as well as some chocolate from the stocking Damon had given her.

She filled four glasses with eggnog and carried the whole shebang into the living room.

Damon would probably goose his eggnog with enough brandy to down a horse, but so what? It was Christmas.

"Good morning," Damon whispered. His hair was wet from the shower. He was barefoot and dressed in black jeans and a black button-down shirt.

"Damon!" Elena flew over to him. They each placed an arm around the other's waist. Damon soundly kissed Elena's left cheek as she kissed his.

"Thank you so much for my wonderful stocking. I love everything. I'm wearing the makeup and earrings, see?"

"You look radiant," Damon said.

"I'll second that," Stefan said quietly as he entered the living room.

"Merry Christmas!" Elena placed her hands on his cheeks as they exchanged a soft kiss.

"Happy Christmas, Elena." Rose wore a red jersey wrap dress that accentuated her stunning figure. Elena had just enough time for a tinge of jealousy at her devastating beauty before the vampire came and gave her a gentle hug. Elena smiled and responded in kind, being careful not to touch Rose's bitten shoulder.

Elena and Stefan sat on either end of the long leather couch, while Damon and Rose sprawled out in the large, soft armchairs.

"Let's have some coffee," Stefan suggested. He poured everyone steaming cups of espresso.

Elena was getting used to the flavor since Damon recommended it so highly, but the only way she could handle it was to nurse it along with sips of eggnog.

After everyone except Rose had sampled the fudge Jenna had made, Damon declared it was time for presents.

"Excellent! I'll be Santa," Elena said as she raced to the tree.

She could feel Damon's eyes on her as she placed package after package at his, Stefan's and Rose's feet. She felt like hugging Damon and Stefan when she found they hadn't forgotten each other. There were several presents for her, and Elena's cheeks flushed as she placed them quickly by her chair.

"Who'll begin?" Damon asked as he lounged back in his chair.

"In my house we go around clockwise and take turns as everyone opens gifts. It makes it last longer," Elena explained.

"Sounds like a good plan to me," Damon grinned at her.

"Me too. Rose, dear, you're first," Stefan said gallantly.

"With pleasure," Rose purred. She smiled as she read the tag. "How kind, Elena. And how generous, after you already gave me this miraculous salve for my wounds."

Rose opened the long, flat box and slowly drew out the scarf Elena had chosen for her.

Its designer had shunned every color but red. Proud, bold splashes of carmine, cerise, crimson and cadmium roared across the silk as Rose ran it sinuously through her hands and then draped it around her neck.

"How gorgeous and unique – just like me. Many thanks, Elena."

"You're welcome."

"It becomes you, Rose. Elena, you're up," Damon said.

Elena grinned shyly as she took up the first present her hand found – a small package from Rose.

The box held a new, blank diary with a soft green leather cover. A leather thong tied the book closed on one side. Elena unfastened it to see thick snow-white pages, some lined and some unlined for sketching, or pressing precious items inside.

"Just in time for the new year, to record new thoughts. This is perfect, Rose. Thank you so much," Elena said.

"You're most welcome. Every woman needs a silent place to hold her secrets," Rose said as she stroked her new scarf.

"It's Stefan's turn," Elena said.

"I'll open Damon's, I think."

Damon's lip curled as Stefan opened his gift to reveal an antique crystal brandy decanter and a matching set of four round, deep goblets. The bottle was filled to the brim with dark-amber liquid.

"I wanted to replace the current set, since I broke some of its glasses," Damon explained.

"You have fine taste, Damon. It reminds me of the one Father used to keep on the rolltop desk in his study."

"Yes, I stared into its depths many a time while Father was…disciplining me." Elena barely supressed a wince. She knew very well what much of Giuseppe Salvatore's "discipline" had consisted of, especially towards his elder son.

"It's a particularly fine year, and very potent – it should make those blood cravings more manageable. Drink responsibly, little brother."

"_Grazie_." Stefan's chuckle was wry, but Elena could tell he was as touched as she was that Damon had given him a gift to make his self-imposed diet easier to bear – especially considering all the teasing Damon had given Stefan over his "tofu-dog" animal blood meals.

"Ho ho ho, Damon," Elena said, and pointed to the gaily wrapped packages at his feet.

"Why thank you, Elena. It's just what I've always wanted," Damon teased as he picked up the large box and shook it.

When it didn't make any sound, he eagerly shredded the gold paper and whistled as he drew out the jacket she'd chosen for him. The leather was still as black as Damon's hair when it was wet, but its battered, lived-in texture made it clear that this was no off-the-rack, run of the mill mall choice.

"I found it at a vintage shop in Staunton. Is it too _Grease_ for your taste?"

"Not at all. It's very James Dean. I met him in New York in 1952, you know."

"Nice try, Damon," she sneered as he slipped on the jacket.

"He's telling you the truth," Stefan piped up quietly.

"What!" Elena exclaimed.

Damon's proud grin ripened into a smirk as he admiringly stroked the worn, butter-soft sleeves of his jacket. "We had a mean bongo duet in Washington Square Park. Maybe I'll tell you more about it someday."

As his words sunk in, Elena was grateful that he'd made such an outrageous, yet apparently true statement. Maybe Damon and Rose would think she had a dropped jaw and flushed cheeks because of his revelation, and not at how undeniably edible he looked in the jacket she'd chosen for him.

"That's an excellent choice, Elena," Rose complimented her. "Damon's other coat got a bit knackered when he saved me from all that broken glass."

"I was grateful to be of service, ma'am," Damon said, every inch the fearless soldier he'd once been.

Elena was furious at herself at the gnawing sting of jealousy she felt, and tried ruthlessly to stamp it down.

"I think I'm next," Rose said.

With the confidence and feline grace that Elena envied in her, she used a long nail to slit open the wrapping paper on her gift from Stefan and Damon. Elena's eyes widened as the glamorous vampire drew out a malicious-looking dagger from a wooden sheath.

The handle, shining with ivory and encrusted with pearls, was a work art in and of itself. The long blade had clearly been sharpened recently. Elena couldn't help finching as Rose drew it across her hand and hissed in pleasure at the thin, swift line of blood that appeared.

"Now this, I call a knife," Rose said, and absently licked the blood from her palm. The vampire admired the glint of the sunlight on the steel blade as she turned it over and over in her hands.

"Please don't take offense, Rose. We don't mean to insinuate that your own hands aren't lethal enough, but better to have and not need than need and not have," Stefan said.

"It suits you, and I hope it finds a home in Jules's ribs soon."

"Thank you, Damon. I swear to use it well. Elena?" Rose smiled at her.

Elena's stomach did a pirouette as she read Damon's name on the shoebox-sized gift she picked up. Suddenly, she was intensely aware of six eyes on her as she fumbled with the green ribbon and silver paper – and two eyes in particular.

Elena gasped softly as she realized there was a very good reason why the present resembled a shoebox.

With light fingers, she gingerly lifted out the Jimmy Choo heels Damon had chosen for her.

Even their color was beautiful – it was as if classy beige and creamy ballerina pink had been melted together and then polished with gold. Seven delicate straps held the leather high-heeled sandals together across the instep, giving the shoes a blatantly sensual feel.

"Now those..." Rose said in a low, mellifluous tone, "are screw-me shoes."

Elena's cheeks flamed as her gaze shot up to Stefan. Her boyfriend's eyebrow was raised in surprise at Rose's naughty sally, but he didn't seem angry.

Rose was right - they were very sexy shoes. But Elena couldn't help but be touched - if she had been asked to guess what type of shoes Damon would choose for her, she would have thought of ridiculously high patent black leather pumps or even red feather mules.

The fragility and delicacy of his choice made her breathless, and even as she chastised herself for being so touched by a pair of shoes - that reaction was definitely more Caroline than her - she felt her throat constrict.

"Damon, these are so amazing. Thank you."

"You're welcome," he said softly. His bright, pale eyes glowed in the firelight, and Elena suddenly remembered his look, his small proud smile as he stood at the bottom of the staircase after he and Stefan had saved her from Slater.

Right before she thanked him, she'd started to run down the stairs into his arms - and she would have, if Stefan hadn't arrived at just that second. Even now, Elena was torn between relief and regret, and hated herself for it.

Even with all the wonderful gifts and blessings she had, Elena couldn't help wishing for one more - that they could all miraculously coexist with no betrayal, no recriminations, no acrimony, no envy and no tears.

Somehow, she doubted it...


	4. Chapter 4

Rose stretched languidly as she stood up from her armchair and gathered her gifts.

"I believe I'm quite fatigued, and so I take my leave. Happy Christmas, Elena. Thank you for such wonderful festivities."

"Thank you, Rose. Merry Christmas."

Damon stood to help Rose over to the steep staircase, and Stefan nodded politely to her as they passed his chair.

Stefan winked at Elena as Damon reclaimed his seat. "To me…from you. I adore it," Stefan said with feeling, and Elena squeezed his free hand as he opened the gift bag.

Stefan sat bolt upright as he read the title of the hardcover book Elena had given him.

"_Sound and the Fury_…Elena, this is a_ first edition_ - I love Faulkner! I bought this the week it came out. I had it for decades until I lost it when I went to college for the second – no, the third time. I always wished I had this very version again!"

"Really? You never said that," Elena said, charmed at his reaction.

"And you chose it for me anyway! How did you ever find this? It must have cost a fortune!"

"On the same avenue of little shops where I found Damon's jacket, and no, it didn't," Elena explained. "Maybe the owner didn't realize what they had."

"Well, I do," Stefan said, and got up to go to her.

Elena stroked his cheek as he cupped her chin in his hand. "Merry Christmas," he murmured before giving her a short but loving kiss. She cleared her throat as Stefan sat down – she despised herself for being glad that his innate gentility had kept him from poring her mouth in front of Damon.

Damon was with Rose now – what did he care?

"Damon, batter up," Stefan said.

"No – Elena next," Damon said, stretching like a sleepy lion surveying the savannah.

"Okay," she agreed, and chose a heavy, rectangular package from Stefan.

She lifted the lid of the box and drew aside sheets of silver tissue – and then gasped at her own reflection staring back at her.

"Oh, Stefan…" Elena gingerly drew out the round hand mirror and admired the intricate bronze Chinese design on the back. "It's…lovely."

She gripped the cold metal handle and tried to will her pounding heart to calm down so Stefan and Damon wouldn't hear it and become upset. For a second, when she opened the box, her unexpected reflection had startled her so much that she thought it was Katherine telegraphing her trapped image across town from the tomb to torture her, like the supervillians imprisoned in the mirror in _Superman II_.

"It doesn't do you justice, but I found it at a little art gallery and hoped you might like it. Now Damon must open his gift from me."

"Your wish is my command, little brother. Wow, Doc, this is really heavy," Damon snarked as he hefted the large, flat, box.

"Do I get a mirror to admire myself too?" he teased Elena.

Elena rolled her eyes as Damon unwrapped the box. For a second, she thought Stefan may indeed have given his brother a mirror, since Damon pulled out a frame. But as she watched all the mirth fade from Damon's face, she knew it must be something altogether more special. Her suspicions were confirmed when Damon's lips silently formed one word.

"Mother…"

It was clearly a trial for him to tear his eyes away, but he finally looked up at Stefan and asked in a raspy voice, "How?"

Stefan's voice was hushed as he explained.

"The only picture I had of Mother was very damaged. You remember we each had to hide our only photos of her from Father, who didn't approve of us keeping them. And then, too, I often kept it tucked close to me when I was staying in places where I thought I'd have to make a hasty exit. I cursed every time I saw how it was fading, but I couldn't risk losing it.

I remember you had to leave yours at the estate after…Father died, so I found a special photographer in Richmond who said he could restore this one. He used software to even out the scratches, then darkened it and enlarged it so I could have it framed for you."

Elena was touched beyond speech at Stefan's last two words. As she looked across at him, she could tell Damon was too.

"Damon…may I see?" she asked quietly.

He nodded somberly and turned the frame around.

Elena could only gasp.

She'd seen the small, worn, faded sepia picture only once before, but remembered enough about it to realize that its restoration was nothing short of a miracle. The photographer must be a genius.

Behind the smooth, new glass frame, Gabriella Francesca Marie Salvatore looked a vibrant, full-blown woman, but nowhere near the age of thirty-four years she'd been when she died in 1855.

In the picture, she wore a black skirt and a long strand of shining ebony rosary beads whose severity was offset by the delicacy of her ruffled white blouse. She stood proudly with her head high and her shoulders back, regal as a queen.

Instead of flowing ringlets like Katherine had in Stefan's photo of her from 1864, Gabriella wore her soft, thick straight brown hair up in a chignon. The softness of the arrangement made the coiffure look feminine, as did the few tendrils escaping by her temples.

The sepia tone of the photo made it hard to judge, but to Elena, her eyes looked the shade of Stefan's forest green. She also saw traces of her boyfriend in the dignified line of his mother's jaw.

But as she gazed in wonder at the picture, Elena saw Damon more every second.

Gabriella's eyes may have been Stefan's color, but they had Damon's more angular, cat-like shape. Even in the muted tones of the picture, Elena could tell that Damon had inherited her flushed cheeks as well.

Her eyes, too, held the same expression Damon's so often did. They shone with barely-concealed merriment, as if they held a joke that they were patient enough – barely – to keep until they chose to let the world in on the secret – if they ever did.

Damon had been just fifteen, and Stefan eight when they lost their mother. Elena didn't know nearly as much about her as she wished to, but from what Stefan told her, Gabriella had been a sweet, gentle woman who nonetheless had held and harnessed the strength to speak up for both her sons when their father's gruelling expectations became too much.

No wonder they loved her so.

Damon turned the picture back around and then examined it hungrily for several long moments. When he finally looked up, he was still clutching it tightly, but said to Stefan, "We'll place her here in the living room where she can watch over both of us."

Elena's lips trembled as Stefan nodded. She could hardly believe the swell of pride that rushed up in her towards Damon. She could only hope he and Stefan would continue to get along this way…regardless of whatever caterpillars she threw into the pudding, even though she never meant to.


	5. Chapter 5

"You're on, and you have more gifts than we do," Damon pointed out to Elena.

"But good things come in small packages," Elena said, clearing her throat to lighten her tone. "I want you both to open your little ones from me at the same time, so I'll open…Stefan's," she read the tag.

"Careful, it's heavy," he said as she opened it.

"Oh, thank you so much!" Elena exclaimed, thrilled at the sleek black Dell laptop. She carefully placed the box on the couch beside her and went to quickly kiss Stefan's upper lip. "These aren't even on the market yet. Jeremy will be jealous. But I already have a computer in my room…"

"It's time to upgrade," Stefan grinned. "Besides, you can take this one to college with you and leave your old one at home for weekend and holiday use. Your new printer is coming next week, and I'll be over to install Skype and all kinds of software on this for you. Please open the little one now. You too, Damon."

"What were you saying about small packages?" Damon teased gently as he and Elena both opened their matching gifts from Stefan.

Elena smiled, and then looked at Stefan, perplexed at the black pager with a clip to fasten it to clothing. In this iPhone age, she thought only doctors carried beepers anymore.

"Phones are too easily lost, or separated from their owner," Stefan explained when he saw her confusion. "We need a bat signal - please wear this when you go out, Elena. I want you to be able to reach us with a single touch. I have ones for Caroline, Bonnie, Alaric, Jeremy and Jenna too. Damon and I will always have ours charged and on if any of you need to call on us."

"Damn right," Damon said gravely.

Elena shook her head at how lucky she was before she kissed Stefan again. She wasn't surprised at his wish that she call on either him or Damon - his openness, his continuing effort to mend all fences with his brother was part of why she adored him. She was grateful for Damon's sake too - he wouldn't come out and say it, but she knew he appreciated being included in Stefan's plan to keep them all safe.

Well, safer.

"You two have only mine left, so…thank you, Damon," Elena said as she picked up her final present. The room grew oddly silent as Stefan and Elena saw that it held a small lacquered wooden box painted with interlocked circles of violet and teal.

"Oh, Damon…" In spite of herself, Elena's fingers shook as she withdrew the silver bracelet from a bed of navy velvet.

It was clearly an antique, and shone with a proud, muted richness. Its filigreed links embraced each other lovingly, but what enchanted Elena was the beauty of the tiny bottle fastened next to the clasp.

It was royal blue crystal, with a round stopper. Latticework patterns of silver embraced the smooth surface to prevent it from shattering. When Elena looked closely, she saw that it held liquid.

"Damon, what is it?"

"The bottle's a lachrymatory," he exclaimed. "People used to fill it with tears upon the death of a loved one, and when the tears dissolved, it marked the end of their mourning period. I remember Mother always used to wear the one she filled when she lost her Mamma and her Nonna. I found both the bracelet and the bottle in two shops outside of Baton Rouge, and had them melded together for you."

"But these aren't tears, it's…" Elena carefully removed the stopper, sniffed the liquid and looked up at Damon in surprise.

"Enough concentrated vervain to kill half a dozen vampires," Damon confirmed the thought he read in her grateful eyes. "I distilled it myself. If you're ever captured…"

"Which you won't be," Stefan said firmly.

"Which you might be," Damon frowned at him, "drink up. It won't hurt you, but any vampire fool enough to try and bite you will shuffle off his immortal coil. Too bad it doesn't work on werewolves, but Alaric and I are working on a treat for them."

Elena drew in a shaky breath as she went over to hug Damon for the second time that day. The leather shoulder of the jacket she'd given him quickly grew warm under her cheek as he slowly wound her hair around his hand and then let it flow through his fingers.

"Thank you, Damon," she said, her voice slightly muffled as she breathed in his unique scent of bergamot, mandarin and cardamom.

"You're welcome," he said, his hand still cupping the back of her head. He finally let her go, and gently picked up her left hand. "May I?"

"Please."

Damon had the bracelet fastened in no time, and admired the way the way it hugged her wrist. "Let's hope the bottle always stays filled."

"Thank you, Damon," Stefan said. Elena looked up at him, suddenly feeling guilty. She could tell that Stefan was a little disturbed at the length of her embrace with Damon. She couldn't blame him - she was feeling discombobulated herself.

But the primary emotion on Stefan's face, which she loved more than her own, was gratitude to Damon for his safety gift. Elena adored him even more for that – which made her hate herself even worse for what she'd just done.

"Now you two have yours to open from me – and especially from Bonnie," Elena said as she reclaimed her seat and hugged her knees to stop them from shaking.

Damon and Stefan looked at each other for a moment and then opened the small matching black boxes.

"Wow," Damon said, not bothering to hide how impressed he was as he drew out the new signet ring. His was a silver band with a flat, round silver surface on which the letter D was carefully lain in lapis.

Stefan's was almost a negative of Damon's. Its surface was also round, but it had a silver S etched onto a lapis face.

Stefan admired the way the cold winter light glinted off the silver. "Elena, they're…"

"Backups," she explained. "Blessed by Bonnie. I live in fear of you guys having your rings lost or stolen or wrenched from your hands."

She shuddered slightly as she remembered what Katherine had done to John in her kitchen. "So you can please wear these on your other hands, or hide them on your person somewhere."

"I'm going to try mine out right now," Damon declared with a smirk as he slid it onto the index finger of his right hand, where Stefan wore his first ring.

Before Stefan or Elena could protest, he was out the front door with super vampire speed.

Elena glanced at Stefan…and then they bolted after him.


	6. Chapter 6

Stefan and Elena came to a skidding halt at the edge of the driveway.

Damon stood ten yards away on the boarding house's vast front lawn, his head tilted back as he took deep breaths of the icy breeze. As her frightened breath puffed out in front of her, Elena absently wished it would snow again to take some of the still chill from the air.

"Damon, be careful."

"What's the matter? You don't trust Bonnie?" he teased, waving his right hand so his new ring winked at her.

"Of course I do," Elena protested, trying not to think of how Bonnie had pretended to deactivate the vampire compass.

"Then what's the problem?"

"Stefan, please stop him," Elena said, her voice so hushed that human ears could never have heard it. Damon was acting crazy, as usual, and was standing too far away from the house in glaring, ruthless rays of potential death. She had meant for both brothers to try their rings standing in a patch of weak sunlight inside the living room, inches from a safe expanse of shade.

_Nononono…_

"Heads up," Damon said, and moved his right hand to his left.

"No!" Elena cried, and bolted forward, too late to stop him.

With a wicked smile, Damon drew his first ring from his left hand and tossed it to Stefan, who easily snatched it out of the air.

Elena gave a long, horrified gasp as she reached Damon, determined to drag him back to the house if the backup ring failed and he started to sizzle.

Stefan stood in the sun, staring transfixed at Elena's reaction. His clear moss-colored eyes clouded with sadness and confusion as she stood in front of his brother, panting, terrified beyond speech.

After an eternity of seconds, Damon smiled, raised his eyebrows and wiggled his fingers at her.

"Tahiti, here we come?"

"You _idiot_!" Elena launched herself at Damon's chest and shoved him to the hard, icy ground.

"Oof! What the hell?" Damon grunted as he landed on his derriere in the three-day old snow.

"You're insane!" Elena yelled. "You could have been killed."

"Too late – Stefan, back me up?" Damon asked wryly as he got to his feet.

"Come, Elena, everything's all right. It's a wonderful gift to us, and mine works too, see?" Stefan soothed as he held up his left hand. Elena's pulse slowed to normal as she saw he was only wearing his new one now as well. Both rings worked after all – she owed Bonnie one. Hell, she owed her more than she could ever repay.

"You're cold – let's go back inside," Stefan said, and chivalrously put an arm around her shoulders to lead her back to the house.

Elena kicked her boot across the lawn, sending a spray of crystallized ice in Damon's direction as they passed him. "Moron."

"What'd I do?" he asked, genuinely perplexed, as he brushed hard chunks of frost from his new jacket and watched them go inside.

Elena couldn't shake her anxiety as she went back to the living room and gathered up wrapping paper with Stefan. She took it to the recycling bin in the kitchen as he collected her generous pile of presents in two huge gift bags.

Leave it to Damon to throw spanners into the works. Everything had been so convivial and great…tidings of comfort and joy...and then he'd had to scare her yet again.

How someone so smart and crafty could be so bull-headed…hadn't she told him that there was nothing she wouldn't do to protect him and Stefan? And he always had to joke around…what was he trying to prove?

"I should head home," she said to Stefan.

"So soon?" he asked, frowning.

"It's already ten-thirty. I still have stockings and presents with Jenna and Jeremy, and we're expecting you and Damon, Bonnie, Alaric and Caroline for Christmas dinner at three-thirty," she reminded him.

"Well, if you must, you must. Let me just gather together our gifts for your family and the girls, and then Damon and I will be there shortly. I do look forward to dinner, and then afterwards…Elena?"

"Yes?"

"I think we should talk."

Elena's nodded - she didn't even bother to demure. He was right. She gave Stefan two fierce, quick kisses and then hugged him tightly around the neck. "Thank you for my wonderful gifts."

"Being free to be able to protect you is my greatest gift," he returned, holding her warmly against his chest.

Elena nodded, tears in her eyes, as she picked up her presents and headed outside.

Damon was watching the steely sky as she approached her car and unlocked the doors. Without turning around, he carefully laid her gifts into the backseat.

"I didn't mean to scare you. Thank you for my ring."

"You don't scare me, Damon," she scoffed.

"Don't I?" he asked. All the smartass was gone from his tone, and he sounded…almost wistful.

He could never let things be…never live and let live. He always had to…_infuse_ everything with his smirks and wants and dares and wishes. If Stefan was like rich, sweet honey that warmed and soothed her inside and out, Damon was a sachet of rich, mouth-burning spices thrown into the elixir of her existence.

Elena believed in Christmas miracles, but she knew in her heart that their tenuous, silent reprieve was coming to an end. The debacle with her gasping like a fool over the threat of losing Damon in the sunlight this morning had proven that in spades. They couldn't go on like this – one or more of them was going to wind up hurt, or worse.

And she'd sooner be locked up in the tomb herself than allow that to happen. She just wished in vain she was a witch like Bonnie and could cast a white spell that would erase all the uncertainty from her mind, immediately and forever. If only she knew it was the right decision, she'd follow whatever solution the spell gave her, even if it cringed her heart…

"You got your wish," Damon said suddenly, as if he had read her thoughts. Sometimes, Elena wasn't sure he couldn't do just that.

"My wish?"

Without his customary smirk, he spread his newly-ringed hand up to the sky. As Elena looked up in confusion, icy flakes suddenly stung her open eyes. She looked around in wonder as fresh, thick snow started to fall, not in an impish, whirling flurry, but in a steady stream that she knew would blanket the ground in no time.

"A white Christmas," Damon said softly. "You should head home while it's still safe to drive."

"And you should head to my place while it's still safe," she returned.

"I'll be with you soon," he assured her. "Elena…"

"Yes?" she asked in a voice that sounded too quiet to be her own, especially given the way she'd yelled at him ten minutes ago.

"Thank you for caring to keep me safe."

She raised her chin proudly. "Thank you for always protecting me."

In answer, Damon picked up her left wrist. As snowflakes fell onto Elena's hair, he rubbed his cheek across her hand, inhaling the lavender scent of her soap and the cinnamon she'd sprinkled into her eggnog.

As Elena watched, her lips slightly parted, Damon turned her hand over and pressed a lingering kiss into her palm, below which the lachrymatory bottle of her new bracelet dangled, a sign of his guardianship.

"Merry Christmas, Damon."

"_Buon Natale_, Elena."

The snow started to fall harder, and Elena decided to take his advice to heart and make an exit before she made more of a fool of herself.

Damon opened the driver's side door for her, and then closed it gently when he saw that she had her seat belt on.

Even after she waved and made her way slowly down the boarding house's winding driveway, she saw through her blurred vision in the rear-view mirror that he stood still as marble, watching after her as the snow continued to fall.

Fin

... ... ...

Note - Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing. I truly appreciate supportive feedback as I'm sure we all do! Merry (belated) Christmas, Happy (belated) Hanukah, Happy Kwanza and Happy New Year! I wish you all and your families happiness, health, success and joy in the New Year.


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